Pennsylvania
Status: At Risk
113 State Parks | 22 Historic Sites
Take Action! Contact your state representatives.
Few states have seen as many cuts to heritage-related programs as Pennsylvania. Budget saving measures have impacted tremendous historic places of both state and national significance in all parts of Pennsylvania's vast geography. Nothing has been left unscathed, from the elimination of funding for the Commonwealth's heritage areas program that is credited as a national model; the capture and redirecting of the $6 million Keystone Preservation Fund to the general fund; to a 53 percent reduction in grant funding for historical organizations and museums. State-owned historic sites are especially facing a dire situation. Since 2006, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC),the agency in charge of state-owned historic sites, has seen its budget reduced by 48 percent. When Pennsylvania's budget was finally adopted this past October, lawmakers slashed another $7 million from the PHMC, a decrease of 37 percent. As a small agency with many priorities, the PHMC had 433 employees in July of 2006. Today, those numbers have been reduced by 52 percent, with a majority of the positions eliminated or left vacant within this past year. When asked why the PHMC received such large cuts, disproportional to other state agencies, Governor Rendell responded, "As important as the state's historical sites are, they are not part of the state's core mission."
With Pennsylvania's next 2010-11 budget projected to be even more severe, the outlook is grim with further cuts anticipated, and the future of Pennsylvania's historic resources in jeopardy. Pennsylvania's budget deficit is now estimated to hit $1.5 billion by the end of June. Lawmakers are calling on Governor Rendell to reduce the Commonwealth's $29 billion spending plan for this coming year by $1 billion or more. The deadline to agree on a budget is July 1.
What is the future of Pennsylvania's state-owned historic sites?
As a national steward of America's heritage, Pennsylvania has – until recently – been a model for its commitment and care of historic places. That is all in question as more than 20 state-owned historic sites face closure and funding has been eliminated for their necessary maintenance and upkeep. At least 11 sites have closed temporarily and others are facing severe cutbacks in an effort to stay open. Only 6 sites currently operate on a full-time schedule. The Commonwealth is looking to nonprofit friends groups to come to the rescue by raising private funds to maintain and operate sites. While a short-term fix at some sites, critics challenge small volunteer organizations are not the answer, and ill-prepared to take on the long-term responsibility of Commonwealth-owned historic sites, especially without the assistance of the PHMC's professional staff.
Old Economy Village in Ambridge, Pennsylvania, illustrates the immense challenges ahead. As the first site acquired by the Commonwealth in 1919, Old Economy Village is an exceptionally well-preserved religious colony constructed between 1824 and 1830. The National Historic Landmark site, comprised of 6 acres and 17 buildings, is unique among only about a half dozen other sites that still exist in the United States. Faced with closure, a small staff has been retained but the site will not be open regularly for visitation.
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